iStocking stuffers: 5 great iOS gifts under $30

As you start crossing people off your holiday shopping list you are bound to find Apple enthusiasts who seem to have it all. You need something they’ll love and don’t realize they need. These easy gifts are under $30 and fit into a stocking as a bonus.

ChargeCard ($25)
iPhone and iPad charging cables are a must-have accessory, but carrying around a cable all the time can be an annoyance. This innovative product packs either a 30-pin or a Lightning charger onto a device the width of two credit cards. Keep it in your wallet or purse for a handy charge on the go. I actually put it in the business card section of my travel bag so it’s easy to reach when I need a quick charge and there are no cables to get caught on things.

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Zhip ($19.95)
Bringing an iPhone into the gym or the kitchen can be a recipe for disaster with water and other liquids everywhere. The Zhip has two main functions. First it’s a universal kickstand for your iPhone or other mobile phone but it also has a retractable cord and hook for securing your device out of harm’s way and at optimal viewing level in a plane, car, and other temporary places. I use it to secure my iPhone to the kitchen cabinet handle while cooking; so not only are my recipes at eye level but they’re safe from kitchen mishaps. It folds easily for travel.

Curb Laptop stand ($12.99)
This wedge of plastic serves one simple purpose: to elevate your device to about a 30 degree angle. This helps cool the laptop on your desk as well as give you a more ergonomically comfortable typing position on either a laptop or an iPad. While its makers claim it will extend your battery due to reduced fan usage, I didn’t find that held true in daily use. What I did find is that it acted as a bit of a rubber bumper at the bottom of my laptop bag and added some cushion while traveling. The device can be ordered in 9 different colors including glow in the dark.

Anyglove ($15)
Gloves help protect your hands from the elements but block your ability to use a touch screen. Special gloves for touch screens work, but Anyglove takes a pair of gloves you know and love, including stylish leather gloves, and modifies them to work with a touch screen. Just put a few drops on the pointer finger and when it dries you can keep your gloves on and use your iPhone. I used it and it works like a charm. No cold fingers.

Unlike the Zhip mentioned earlier, this stand attaches directly to your iPhone or case (as well as your iPad) and also acts like a kickstand. But it also adds the ability to use your device securely with one hand. The Gravity attaches to the back and adds a handle to your device so you can hold it via your two fingers and avoid hand and wrist fatigue. I like this while traveling because I can use the iPhone in public while keeping the device securely in my hand.

Cross a few more people off your list, but order these soon so you get them in time for the holidays.